SUDBURY -- According to a letter obtained by CTV News, Roland Michener Secondary School (RMSS) has announced an individual from the South Porcupine school has tested positive for COVID-19. This is confirmed on the District School Board Ontario North East website

RMSS. located in the South Porcupine area of Timmins, said the individual is being monitored by the Porcupine Health Unit (PHU) and is self-isolating at home.

The school district's website says one class at the school is in isolation as a result, but the school is open.

In the letter issued to families dated Oct. 17, the school says it has been tracking student and staff attendance with the information having been shared with the PHU.

“Public health is currently following up with students and students identified as contacts. In general, for COVID-19, a close contact is anyone who was within 2 metres or 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes during the time of infectivity,” said the school in the letter.

“Passing a person in the hallway is low risk of spreading the virus.”

The school then advises that the PHU will contact either parent or child should they be considered a contact.

RMSS says staff and students not contacted directly, should continue to attend the school, which will remain open. All individuals are being asked to self-monitor for signs and symptoms. Should any symptoms develop, they are asked to isolate immediately and contact the assessment centre to schedule a test.

The letter goes on to list COVID-19 symptoms including atypical symptoms including: unexplained fatigue or malaise, muscles aches, delirium, unexplained or increased number of falls, acute function decline, exacerbation of current chronic conditions, chills, headaches, croup, and conjunctivitis.

This comes just one day prior to the Oct.18 PHU bulletin reporting one new positive case in the district. 

In the bulletin, PHU say they will no longer report the age range of the individual who tests positive or the date they were tested.

“Please note, to protect the privacy and confidentiality of individuals who are confirmed positive cases, the PHU will no longer be sharing the age range of the individual and the testing date,” said the PHU in the bulletin.

“The health unit will share more information with the public if there is potential exposure of community members that requires any follow-up, as appropriate.”

The last case reported by the PHU was on Oct. 17 and was listed as an individual between the ages of 40-59 from the area of Heast, Hornepayne.